Composition for cleaning jewelry



I Patented Dec. 2,1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH e. HERMAN, or rear enemas, KENTUCKY.

OOHPOSITION FOR CLEANING JEWELRY.

No Drawing.

To all whom it mayv concern!- Be it known that I,.JOSEPH G. HEHMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Fort Thomas, in the county of Campbell and State of Kentucky, have invented-a certain new and useful Composition for Cleaning Jewelry, of which the following isa specification.

My invention relates to a novel process and composition of matter which is partic-;

ularl adapted for cleaning jewelry and 'whic is also adapted for cleaning other articles, such as clothing and also for removing paint, varnish, gum, dirt or foreign matter, grease and the like-from surfaces.

Heretofore it has been customary in cleaning newly manufactured jewelry to boil the same in a weak solution of ammonia for a period of time (approximately fifteen and quantity of substance desired removed from the jewelry, after which it is scrubbed with soap and water, then dipped in alcohol, and then deposited'in hot sawdust to dry. The period of time. required for cleaning jewelry may depend upon the quantity of rouge and tripoli used in the manufacturing process, also sometimes upon the quantity of shellac deposited upon the jewelry in the operation of cementlng a stone or other ornamentin its setting. Aside from the disadvantage of requiring a considerable period of time to clean jeweh'y by the old process, the use of ammonia is objectionable because of chemical fumes which impregnate the air of the work-room, thereby producing an impure atmosphere and otherwise affecting the health of the workers. Moreover the strength of the ammonia solution and its ada tability as a cleaner is considerably diminis ed after one use in the present process of boiling the ammonia solution containing the article to be cleaned, and it has been found unsatisfactory to usethe same amtion of chemicals and by minutes) depending upon the substance.

Application filed September 5, 1923. Serial No. 661,104.

adapted to thoroughly clean jewelry in a considerably shorter eriod of time than is required by the usua i providea cleaning composition of matter adapted for continuous use until entirely consumed; to provide a composition of mat- .ter adapted to eliminate the chemical fumes 1n the. room in which jewelry is. cleaned; to lessen the cost of cleaning jewelry by reducing the expense requiredin the preparaxishortening the period of time required in thecleaning cleaning process; to

process ,by workmen; and to provide a cleaning composition of matter-adapted to be used as a substitute for ammonia and soa and water.

y invention consists in the process and in the com osition of matter as herein set' forth and c aimed.

The composition of matter consists in the followin imgredients: Tri-sodium (Na,PO,,) is mixed with powdered soda ash (Na COg) in the proportion of 8 parts tri-sodium and 1 part soda ash.- The tri-sodium phosphate and soda ash which forms a crystal powder is preferably sifted through a 30 mesh screen for the purpose of removing foreign substances, such as wood, dirt and other foreign matter and retaining only the pure tris'odium phosphate and soda ash, whereby -more satisfactory results in cleaning are atj tained. The mixture thus formed is then dissolved in water in varied proportions and depending upon the article to -be cleaned, as for instance, for cleaning jewelry, one tablespoonful of my cleaning composltion may be dissolved in one quart to one gallon of water. I

Iy process consists in mixing a quantity of tri-sodium phosphate (Na,PO,) with powdered soda ash-(Na CO,) preferably in the proportion of 8 parts of tri-sodium to 1 part powdered soda ash, then dissolving the mixture in water preferably in the proportion of one tablespoonful of said mixture in ever one, quart toone gallon of water, then oiling the solution to heat it and therebynssist. 1n dislodging the foreign substance upon the jewelry,then-immersing the jewelry to be cleaned in the hot solution for a period ofabout two minutes, then removing the j ewelr and brushing it with a brush saturated in t e solution, then rinsing in clear water andthen placing it in sawdust to dry. Successive piecesof jewelry may be cleaned in the same solution until the solution is e tirely consumed.

I have invente a cleaning composition of matter exceedingly simple to prepare and efficient in its use. By the use of my invention chemical fumes are entirely elimihated and considerable time is saved as it is only necessary to boil the article inmy preparation approximately W0 minutes, then rinse the article in clear water and then dry, after which the cleaning operation is completed. Furthermore, by the use of my composition of matter the injurious result "of the workers placing their hands in the cleaningcomposition is entirely eliminated I v I as my cleaning compound is not injurious to the skin.

When my invention is desired to be used for the purpose of cleaning paint or other materials the mixture is dissolved in water in varied proportions, but one tablespoon to 5 gallons of Water may produce satisfactry results.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A composition of matter for cleaning jewelry consisting of a mixture of about 1 part of soda ash and about 8 parts of tri-sodium phosphate, said mixture being dissolved in Water in the proportion of one tablespoonful to one quart of water.

JOSEPH G. HEHMAN. 

